Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
This New Stroke Treatment Acts Like A Plumber Snagging A Clog Out Of A Drain
NPR: Stroke Procedure Results In Miraculous Recovery For Some Patients
On July 17, 2014 Kurt Hinrichs, of Gladstone, Mo., went to bed early. As often happens, he woke in the middle of the night. When he tried to get out of bed, he crashed to the floor, which woke his wife, Alice. "At first it was like, 'What's going on?'" Alice says. "Are you dreaming? Are you sleepwalking?" Kurt wasn't responding to anything Alice asked him, so she called 911. "I [was] thinking, 'this is a nightmare,'" Kurt says. (Zhorov, 5/1)
The Washington Post: What Makes Someone Donate A Kidney To A Stranger?
Would you donate a kidney to someone you've never met? The idea is layered with soul-searching judgments — questions of risk and benefit, sacrifice and selfishness, not to mention the physical pain of the surgery itself. But a small number of people have done this, and researchers at Georgetown University are studying them, providing a window on altruism in a world seemingly dominated by a me-first philosophy. (Bernstein, 4/28)
The Philadelphia Inquirer/Philly.com: Surgeons Transplant Hep C-Infected Kidneys, Then Cure The Virus
It was a daring experiment aimed at expanding the supply of donor organs: Transplant kidneys infected with hepatitis C into uninfected patients, then give them a powerful new drug to banish the virus. The strategy worked flawlessly in separate pilot studies at the University of Pennsylvania and Johns Hopkins University, researchers reported Sunday at the American Transplant Congress in Chicago. The insidious virus was eradicated in all the kidney transplant recipients — 10 each at Penn and Hopkins — with a 12-week course of Zepatier. The maker, Merck, donated its $55,000 drug. (McCullough, 4/30)
NPR: Yo-Yo Dieting Could Be Harmful To The Heart
So-called 'yo-yo dieting' — where people lose weight and gain it back again – doubles the risk of a heart attack, stroke or death in people who've already got significant heart disease. That's the conclusion of an international study published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine. (Neighmond, 5/1)
NPR: U.S. Supply Of Yellow Fever Vaccine Will Run Out By Midsummer
Come July, the yellow fever vaccine could be tough to find. So, if you're traveling this summer to a place with the disease, you probably want to schedule a trip to a clinic sooner rather than later, the Centers for Diseases for Control and Prevention tells NPR. "Take heed of our warning: Plan ahead," says CDC spokesperson Tom Skinner. "It may be difficult to get this vaccine. And if you can't get it, then you should postpone your trip." (Doucleff, 4/28)
Los Angeles Times: Tea Made From Deer Antlers May Cause Botulism; Health Officials Issue Alert
Tea made from deer antlers may have sickened two Orange County residents with botulism, a serious illness caused by a bacteria that can cause paralysis, breathing difficulty and is potentially deadly. One adult has a confirmed case of botulism, and the other has a suspected case, the Orange County Health Care Agency said Friday. An investigation by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health suggests the botulism illnesses may be connected with drinking deer antler tea obtained in March. (Lin, 4/29)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Compulsory Flu Shots For Health Workers: How Far Should Policies Go?
Get an annual flu shot or get fired.That policy has become fairly standard in recent years at hospitals and medical facilities across the country. The need to protect patients from influenza overrides employees’ personal preferences, health officials say. But what about someone who isn’t in contact with patients, and isn’t even technically an employee? (McCullough, 4/28)
The Star Tribune: Mayo Looks To Shake Up Cancer Care With Single Test To Find Multiple Types
Mayo Clinic is in a race against itself on a project that could revolutionize cancer care, as two research teams pursue a “pan cancer” test that could detect the presence and severity of multiple types of the disease. On one side is Dr. David Ahlquist in Rochester and his partnership with Exact Sciences, which together already produced a home test for colon cancer known as Cologuard. (Olson, 4/30)
Columbus Dispatch: Birth-Certificate Insert Offers Tips On Safe Sleep, Pregnancy Spacing
As part of an ongoing effort to reduce preventable infant deaths, birth certificates in Franklin County now will be accompanied by information about safe sleep and how to space out pregnancies. It’s an initiative of Columbus Public Health and the Ohio Better Birth Outcomes collaborative, which are partners in the county’s CelebrateOne effort to prevent the deaths of babies who never reach their first birthday. (Viviano, 4/28)
